Family is forever
by Bulls Dog
Summary: When Brian and the flu become acquainted, things gets stirred up in the Toretto household, will Dom and Brian be able to put their stubbornness aside?


Set after The Fast and The Furious - Jesse survived - Brian was fired from the police force after letting Dom go and wiping the teams prints off the cars, he blamed Tran (who is now dead)

Dont own anything or anyone

_ Brian POV

It was lunch time in the Toretto household. Mia, as usual, had cooked up quite the feast for Sunday lunch shouting to the boys who were, as per usual, in the garage. "Get out of the garage, i didn't cook for 2 hours for it to go to waste!"

One by one they came trolling out with looks that could kill, all turning into smiles once they saw their future feast was ready for them.

As Brian walked past the table, heading towards to house he shouted back "I'll out in a minute," Brian shouted across the yard. "I'm gonna clean up…"

"You better hurry or your gonna have Mia on your ass!" Replied Dominic.

Brian dragged himself up the stairs, feeling distinctly dizzy once he reached the top. He reached out to steady himself on the wall as the world spun. After a moment or two, it steadied itself and he grabbed some dry clothes and headed for the shower.

Five minutes later, Brian was ensconced one of Dom's oversized sweaters and a pair of baggy sweats but he still couldn't stop shivering, even with the current blistering LA heatwave. His head was starting to throb, too and he just wanted to go to bed, but he knew he better get his ass downstairs soon.

But, going down stairs, even just two or three, was another story. Halfway down the few stairs, the Brian had started to get increasingly light headed and lost his balance, sending the large, burly man crashing to the ground like an uncoordinated teenager.

"Shit!" he screamed as he fell, landing with a large THUMP, banging his knee and wrist painfully on the hard stairs.

"Brian?." Shouted Dom outside, unaware of the fall Brian just took. Brian on the other hand didn't have the energy to answer as the world was spinning around him. "Brian, get your ass out here, were waiting for you!"

As the team began to get impatient, Dom instructed the others to start eating while he went to figure out what was taking Brian so long.

"Brian? Are you okay, what are you doing?" Dom's voice seemed to echo in his foggy brain and he looked over at him as he made is way over to the stairs. "Brian!"

"Huh?" Brian still unaware of his surroundings as Dom came running over.

"Are you alright? Are you with me Bri?" he asked again, frowning at him.

Finally Brian snapped out of it and managed to answer Dom, though by the looks Brian was getting, no answer would be good enough at this point. "Fuck my head hurts."

"Shit, lets get you up and onto the couch." Dom replied worriedly, Brian looked like shit. Why hadn't he noticed earlier?! Too busy with his god damn cars, as per usual.

Dom swooped down, one arm around the others waist and the other tugging at his elbow, pulled the smaller man to his feet. The hand on the waist lingered, not wanting to leave the oddly familiar position, to the surprise of both men.

"Lets get you on the couch. It feels like you have a fever." Dom said softly, breaking the silence. Brian nodded mutely, letting Dom lead the way.

"You get comfy on the couch and I'll go grab Mia." Dom said as he led the increasingly dazed Brian to the couch and under the blankets. Brian, on the other hand, didn't have the strength to argue. Dom ran out of the room leaving Brian to fall into a fitful sleep.

Brian woke to the sound of the tv being turned on. Padding footsteps could be heard and the couch sunk as the unknown person climbed on.

"Hey" greeted the other in a whispered voice. Brian turned to see Dom staring intently. Light danced in those eyes that Dom had never noticed before. Full lips twisted in a small smile, looking just as intently as the man below him.

"What are you looking at?" inquired the still whispering man as he too studied the other. Full lips that were slightly chapped, chiseled jaw and still slightly glazed green eyes stared back at him.

"You" was the husky replied as an elegant hand came up stroke the sick mans hair. But instead of returning to its place on the bed, said appendage caressed Dom's cheek lovingly, cupping around to pull the other man down slightly. Warm lips met half way, molding together like they had been doing for years. They broke apart, both panting slightly, still staring into each others eyes. And at the point Brian's injuries decided to make themselves known. "Shit! Fuck my head hurts, and what the hell happened to my arm?" exclaimed Brian, noticing the bandage wrapped around his wrist and the tight pain coming from his chest.

"You fell down the stair remember? Mia fixed you up while you were asleep." It wasn't until now that Brian noticed the sun was beginning to set, and that the rest of the team were scattered around the living room floor with the tv muted in the background, silent, with worried looks sketched on their faces, even Vince. As much of a pain in the ass Brian was, Vince had never seen Brian sick or anything but his strong front he put on everyday.

"Were all worried about you. Why didn't you tell anyone you weren't feeling good?"

"Cause i'm not a child Dom, i can take care of myself." And with that, he made a move to get himself up and off the couch. Stopping before he got even half way by a strong pair of hands pushing him back down.

"Your in no position to be up a moving around right now."

"Dom, get off me." By this point everyone had cleared the room, going outside for some fresh air and leaving Dom and Brian to their bickering.

"No Brian! For once in your life stop being such a stubborn asshole. Jesus kid, you scared the shit out of me finding you on the stairs like that! We are a family, next time you tell someone, got it?"

"I can handle it, now Get. Off. Me." Brian said with a look that could kill. He knew Dom was only trying to help but what he had to understand was that Brian had been on his own his entire life. He used to fending for himself, even though he has been with the team for 3 years now, its still pretty new to him.

"Fine, do it yourself. Good luck getting me to help you again, screw you Brian." Maybe Brian had gone one step too far, he began to apologize when Dom up and left the room, storming outside. A few seconds later he heard the charger being fired up and Dom peeling out of the driveway "Shit." said Brian.

It took Brian a good 5 minutes but he finally managed to get himself up and off the couch without the ground doing summersaults.

"Brian?..." a soft voice trailed across the room towards Brian, as the team started piling back into towards the living room, it was Mia, no surprise there.

"Sorry" Whispered Brian

"Im not the one you should be apologizing to." Said Mia, folding her arms, gently glaring at Brian.

"I know, shit i fucked up didn't I?"

"Yeah you did." replied another voice as Vince made is opinion know. "It's no secret that i'm not your biggest fan buster but Dom loves you and thats good enough for me. When are you gonna accept that your apart of this family now? And a family takes care of each other no matter what."

"Im sorry, i'm just not used to this."

"Well get used to it, and fast." And those were Vince's final words before he turned around to change the movie, dropping himself back on the floor with the others. Mia on the other hand headed over to Brian, helping him back on the couch without another word.

"Like Dom said, you shouldn't be moving around right now, no matter how you feel. I managed to patch you up but you have a sprained wrist and knee, which by the looks of your hobbling around you've already noticed, and a fever of 102.5. Your not going anywhere, anytime soon Brian." As Mia was about to go on and grill Brian some more, a huge sneeze shook Brian's body, bringing his headache back in full force.

Mia grabbed an unopened box of tissues and passed them over.

"Thanks Mia, again i'm sorry."

"It's okay. Now, how are you really feeling?"

"To sum it up... like shit. My head is killing me, my chest feels like i've got 10 rounds against Dom and everything is making queasy." Brain whispered, letting his head fall into his hands wishing Dom was here to make it all go away. He hoped to God he hadn't just thrown away the best thing he had going right now. "But i need to go and find Dom." He made a move to get up and off the couch."

"Your not going anywhere Brian, Dom will be fine. He'll come back when he is good and ready. Right now your gonna lie down and get some rest okay?"

"Fine." Brian's head was barely on the pillow before he drifted off into a restless sleep.

_Dom POV

Dom drove to a good couple of hours before deciding he should probably head home and deal with it. He had no idea how Brian was doing and as pissed as he was right now, he loved Brian. He needed to put his stubbornness aside and be a man. Once he pulled into the driveway he saw the team sitting on the patio, beers in hand, everyone except Brian and Mia.

"Look what the cat dragged in. You finished sulking now?"

"Watch yourself Leon." Dom was not in the mood right now.

"No Dom you watch yourself" Leon was getting brave at this point, wanting to see how far he could push Dom "you shouldn't have gone off like that. Brian needs you right now. As much of a pain in the ass as he is, you know he loves you."

"I know that okay! I fucked up, but im back now so just get off my back alright?" Everyone took one step back, with their hands in the air allowing Dom passage into the house. He walked through the house straight to the couch were he left Brian. He saw Mia sitting by Brian's side, wet cloth in hand trying to cool him down.

"Hows our boy doin?" asked Dom worriedly. He could tell Brian was having a less than peaceful sleep, constantly tossing and turning and panting like he was trying to fight something off.

"His fever has gone up, im starting to get worried Dom."

"He'll be fine." said Dom, move out of hope than fact.

"Here let me do that." Dom took over Mia's place on the couch while Mia joined the others outside giving Dom and Brain their space.

_ Brian POV

Nightmares and terrifying dreams plagued Brian's sleep, causing him to wake bolting up right, screaming Dom's name and shaking all over. Sweat was pouring down his back and forehand and his chest began to burn from his sudden movements.

"Brain clam down, it's me, Dom!" But Brian didn't hear Dom, he kept fighting off Dom's hands which gripped his arms preventing Brian from smacking Dom around the face.

"Get off me! Dom! DOM!" screamed Brian. Hearing this the others came rushing in to find Brian waving his arms trying to escape Dom's clutches, screaming Dom's name at the same time. Vince and Leon rushed over helping to hold Brian down, while Jesse Letty and Mia watched frozen to the stop. While Vince and Leon held him down, Dom talked to Brain trying to calm him down the bets he could, but at this point nothing was working on the fever ridden man. All of a sudden Brian's struggles stopped and Vince and Leon released Brain when his eyes shot open. A hand flew to his mouth and he shot up with all his strength, running to the bathroom with Dom close behind him. Seconds later sounds of vomiting and retching came from the bathroom. After silence settled in Dom shouted from the bathroom.

"Hey can i get some help in here!" Vince, being the closest at this point ran into the bathroom to help Dom carry Brain back to the couch who was now being much more cooperative. Once back on the couch the team gathered around while Dom whispered to Brain calming words, settling him back into another restless sleep.

"Shit." Was the only word, surprisingly coming from Jesses's mouth.

"Yeah, shit about sums it up." replied Dom.

Through out the night his fever spiked at a scary 104.1, any higher and Dom's fingers were playing with his keys ready to race to the hospital at a moments notice. They all took turns through the night and the following day sitting with Brian, even Vince, rotating the icepacks that surrounded his body in the efforts to get his fever down. Dom only resting when he could no later physically keep his eyes open any longer. It was about 5am next day and Letty's turn to watch Brian when he began moaning and tossing in his sleep. At this point his fever was down to a more comfortable 101.7, not great, but much better considering. Hearing this Dom woke with start heading straight over to the couch.

"Brian? You with us baby?" With the team having crashed on the floor and couches for the night, they all began to wake.

"Dom?" That one word brought the biggest smile the team had ever seen to Dom's face. Finally a sign that Brian was still in there!

"Yeah Bri, it's me baby."

When Brian's eye finally opened and he began to look around at all the faces looking back at him, he breathing sped up. Was something wrong? He HE done something wrong? What the hell was going on?! He didn't remember how he got on the couch, and his memory of the previous hours was a complete blank.

"Dom?! What going on?!" He asked, with his voice full of fear and anxiety.

"Brian! Your fine baby, calm down." But that didn't work. "Everyone back off!"

Everyone took a few steps back, giving Dom and Brain their space. Brains eyes full of fear and his breathing getting faster by the second.

"Brian baby, you need to slow your breathing down okay? Or your gonna pass out again baby." said Dom with a surprising calmness in his voice. "Breath with me Brian, just like me okay?"

Dom began to breath in and out, getting Brian to match his breaths and slowly it worked. Soon enough Brian was breathing at a more calm rate, but still very confused.

"Dom?

"Yeah baby, its okay, your okay."

"What the HELL is going on?" That sounded more like his Brain, and it brought the smile back to Dom's face.

"Your sick baby. What do you remember?"

"Shit, ummm fuck." As Brain struggled to remember the past few days, it all slowly coming back to him. "Ummm we were working in the garage and i started to feel like shit. Then something about falling down the stairs..." Brian suddenly had a look of sadness on his face "... then our fight. Which im sorry about by the way. I was acting like a child and im sorry."

"It's forgiven. What else baby?"

"Ummm well that it?" Suddenly his breathing started to speed up. What did he forgot?

"Brain! Brain its okay. Your fine."

"What day is it?" asked Brian

"Well... its Tuesday morning."

"WHAT?! What hell happened?!" How the hell did Brian loose the past two days?!

"Sunday night you fell down the stairs remember? Well after that you passed out for a while. We've been taking turns watching you. You had a fever of 104 Brian! You scared the shit outta me baby. You've been asleep the entire time."

Mia suddenly appeared with a glass of water in hand

"Here, you need to drink something Brian, you'll feel better" As soon as the water touched his lips he realized how thirsty he actually was and began to chug the water down, which he soon would learn was a mistake.

"Wow there buddy, slow down." Came Vince's voice from the background, seconds later Brain was up again and running to the bathroom, vomiting up all he had just drank. Once they helped him back on the couch Mia returned with another glass.

"How about we try it a little slowly this time huh?"

"Good idea." Smiled Brain. After he had slowly finished the glass and the team had made themselves comfortable yet again on the floor Brian spoke up.

"Ummmm thanks guys, you didnt have to look after me like that."

Without waiting for a response from the others Dom piped up. "Thats was family is forever remember?" Dom said with a smile on his face, all was forgiven.

- please forgive the multiple grammatical errors. Haven't done a story in a while and don't have/know how to get hold of a Beta Reader. If anyone wants to go over it you have my permission! thanks guys :)


End file.
